"Come in Remus, come in come in!" Molly announced the man's arrival, most of the house sitting in the kitchen, discussing nothing in particular. With the twins back at their shop, the conversation bounced around a lot. Harry's quidditch career, the Half Blood Prince's book, Slugclub, Quidditch some more… Yeah, they were running out of things to talk about. But thankfully, more people were here! Now he could stop third wheeling with Ron and Hermione.

He wasn't dumb, he could see how they were acting around each other. Their smiles, giggles, flushed cheeks, ginny pointing it out- okay, maybe he had needed a little help, but now that he knew about them, Harry couldn't stop seeing them as a couple!

It was getting incredibly awkward.

"I'm gonna say hi to Remus," Harry announced, standing up from the kitchen table. "See if he needs help."

"Me too!" Ginny quickly said, standing up with a scoot. "Bye love birds!" She teased as her and Harry walked out quickly.

"They didn't even argue this time." Harry said with a laugh, resisting the urge to look back at them. He really didn't wanna see anyone snogging while he was trying to say hi to his old teacher.

"It's because they know it's true." Ginny said, laughing. "What about you, Harry?"

"What about me?" He questioned, fiddling with his ponytail. He had gotten used to wearing his long hair around his friends, not bothering with glamour charms mostly out of pure forgetfulness.

"Are you going to form a relationship with anyone?" Ginny cocked her head.

"Uh, probably not, no." Harry told her, taking down his ponytail and fixing it once more. He'd done that at least seven times since he woke up and it was only noon! "I don't really have time, you know?"

"Cheating in potion's is taking up too much of your time?" She teased, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "But seriously, no interest in anyone? Anyone at all?"

"Not really…I mean, I suppose Luna is quite cute, I guess, but I'm not into her like that, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess." Ginny sighed.

"What are we guessing?" Remus asked, sticking his head through the open living room door.

"Remus!" Harry said, running up to him, a smile on his face. Remus chuckled, wrapping his arms tight around Harry as he brought him into a big hug. "It's so good to see you! Wow, look at your hair! It's so cool!"

Remus smiled coyly, brushing his fingers through his pink hair. A girl appeared behind Remus, giving the two teens a wink.

"You can thank me for that! Wotchor, Harry!"

"Tonks!" Harry gave her a first bump, Ginny going in for a hug. "How'd you get him to do it?"

"He lost a bet."

"I lost a bet." They spoke at the same time, Tonks grinning as Remus sighed. "Seriously, never play darts with her, she's a menace!"

"It's called skill, Remus. Not that you have any for darts." She cackled, and the pair made their way in. Ginny followed them, while Harry waited by the door.

The next to come in was Alastor Moody.

"Potter." He said gruffly, shaking Harry's hand as he walked through the door. "Good, I was hoping to see you."

"About what, sir?" Harry asked, leaning closer as Moody spoke quietly.

"You put that gift to good work yet?" Harry jolted, nodding quickly.

"I used it to get away from the Dursleys," Harry told him. "With the help of Ron, Hermione, and Neville of course."

"Good lad. Now, where's Molly? I need some coffee." Moody wandered off to the kitchen where talking and laughing were heard. Harry sat back down on the arm of the couch, waiting at the door. His gaze constantly alternated between the fireplace and the front door, not knowing when Snape would appear. A few minutes later, as Harry had gotten up to head back into the kitchen, the fireplace chimed. A rush of green flames later, and out popped Severus Snape.

"D-" Harry stopped himself. Snape had explicitly said he didn't want to be called dad, or anything like it. Worst of all, why was Harry wanting to do that? He already had two dads, James and Sirius! He didn't need a third one on top of that.

Yet Snape the only father figure you've got alive, the wicked voice in the back of his head said. Harry tugged at his ponytail.

"Harrison." Severus said, bowing his head.

"Sev- er, Snape-"

"Severus is fine in private." Snape told him, not meeting his eyes. How odd. Snape was usually the prime example for prolonged eye contact.

"Severus then, hello!" Harry said cheerfully, a smile working its way up his lips. "I'm glad you're here." Harry couldn't help but say. After spending such a long time with the man, Harry could admit it both to others and himself (never Severus though) that he took comfort in the older man's company. It was relaxing.

It felt almost like something a family would do. Harry sitting on the office couch, working his way through his charms homework, occasionally asking questions that Severus answered, explaining them just enough that Harry would make the connections all on his own. Sometimes Severus would sit on the other side of him, a pair of reading glasses settled on his nose as he read over essay's, snorting and even sometimes showing Harry some of the 'dialogue' the students included in their essays. Harry may not be the best essay writer, but he knows for a fact he never wore "Professor, I have no clue what the bloody hell is going on." as his thesis statement. Nor had he ever written "Please help me I'm losing his mind" every inch for a twelve inch paper.

Sometimes, when Harry fell asleep at night, he'd imagine his mother there, kissing the top of his head as she walked into the office, settled onto the couch, and laughing at the same essays Harry did.

A ball of air lodged its way into Harry's throat as he looked anywhere else but at Severus.

"I am…glad that you are glad." Snape told Harry. Harry smiled. That was close enough, he supposed. With a quick look around, Harry walked over to the stone-cold professor and gave him a quick side hug. Thanks to the healthy eating regimen Harry had been put on due to Quidditch ("You will not stay this frail and thin forever, Harrison!") he had managed to grow a few inches. He came up to Severus' chin now, and it made interacting with the man a lot easier. Now Serverus had no excuse to, literally, look down at Harry.

"I uh, hope everythings okay, so bye now!" Harry said, walking briskly away from the man before turning the corner and climbing the stairs. Molly began ushering all of the youngsters out, ignoring and refuting the groans and moans of the people wanting to stay.

Harry quickly climbed to the attic, finding Neville seated with a small plant in his life. He whispered soft words to the plant, stroking its leaves as carefully as one would do a sleeping animal. Harry waited for the whispering to stop before he walked up to Neville.

"Whatcha doing?" Harry asked, sitting down next to Neville.

"Trying to help this plant grow. It's an Umbra plant."

"What's that?" Harry asked. The name didn't ring any bells.

"It's a rare and unique house plant. It's pretty hard to get your hands on. It's called umbra because of its dark green colour. Most people have them as they're said to reduce stress and promote better sleep. It's even used in a few potions and teas to help alleviate insomnia and anxiety. Mrs Weasley just found some growing under the shed, which is awesome."

"That's cool, what's wrong with it?"

"Mrs Weasley kept it in the sun. It needs total darkness to grow and actually feel the effects of it. You see the leaves?" Harry nodded. "Usually they are a tad heart-shaped, and very full. They also feel like those velvet strips on Ron's old dance clothes back in fourth year. These leaves however are sharper, more triangular in shape. And they also feel like dragonhide."

Harry reached out, gently stroking the plant's leaves as Neville sighed. He was right, they really did feel like dragonhide.

"So why don't you just lock it inside a dark closet?" Harry asked.

"It needs to readjust to the darkness, which is why I'm up here and not in a dark closet. If it gets thrust into the darkness too quickly after being exposed to sun, it becomes an Umbra Foliage, which is basically like this thorny, vine, moss combination and it takes over your house until it's shrouded in darkness."

"Oh wow." Harry didn't know what else to say. That was good to know, at least, should Harry ever get one of those plants for himself. Footsteps sounded on the attic steps, Harry and Neville turning around to see Ron, Ginny, and Hermione coming up the stairs.

"How'd they even silence a doorway that has no door?" Ron grumbled to himself, flopping down on his bed. "Honestly, it makes no sense!"

"Likely a spell or a ward of some kind." Hermione said, pulling a book out of her bag. Harry didn't question how long she had it in there.

"If it was a runic ward, I would have been able to spot it." Ron said confidently, rolling over onto his stomach as he pulled a quidditch magazine from under his pillow. "Oi, Gin, come look at this chaser."

Ginny walked over, laying down next to her brother as they flipped through the pages. Hermione rolled her eyes, joining Neville and Harry on the floor with her book. Harry sat with the plant in his lap, stroking the leaves as he listened to Hermione talk about the new fantasy book she was reading. Apparently, she could take a break from academic books!"

Half an hour later, the gaggle of teenagers were called downstairs. It confused them a bit. The meetings usually took much longer than just thirty minutes. Usually they waited a good hour or two before being released from their metaphorical prison.

"Hurry, guys!" George called out. "It's Percy!"

Ron and Ginny proceeded to run downstairs, Hermione, Neville, and Harry in close succession.

"I thought he wasn't coming?" Neville whispered to Harry.

"Even Mrs Weasley said he wasn't coming, maybe he had a change of heart?"

However, as they exited the last steps, Harry could tell this visit was anything but peaceful.

"Ron, Ginny." Percy acknowledged, glancing over the other three.

"What are you doing back here?" Ron asked, walking over to his brother, closing the gap with a finger to Percy's chest. "No letters, notes, not even a howler except to be a right twat to mum when she invited you over!"

"Ronald!" Mrs Weasley said, ashamed. Ron stared down Percy, the two tall boys able to maintain the cold steely eye contact. Ron's finger pushed against Percy's chest, even when Percy's own hand swatted Ron's away.

"I don't have anything to say to you, I am simply here on ministry business-"

"What if we don't want your business?" George asked him, stepping up next. Fred followed behind, eyes focused and flaring hard. The two may have been twins, but they dealt with their anger completely differently. "What if we want you to get out of this house?"

"George, he's still your brother now-" Arthur began, only for Percy to roughly cut him off.

"Good thing my business isn't with your family then, isn't it?" Your Family. Harry watched as hurt filled each and every one of them. Ginny even let out a gasp, hands coming to her face as Hermione tucked the redheaded girl into a hug. Percy didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "The minister wishes to speak to Potter."

"No." Snape and Remus say at the same time, and Harry is astounded as Snape seems to put himself in between Harry and the wayward Weasley. Harry stares at his back, eyes sparkling with something akin to hope.

"It is a ministry order-"

"Har- Mr Potter is not of legal age, Mister Weasley, and therefore does not have to consent to a meeting with anyone over the age of seventeen that is not his direct overseer,"

"It would be well within Mr Potter's interest if he-"

"I'd do it." Harry rushed out, sucking in air after. Harry blinked, pushing one thought to the forefront of his mind as Severus turned to look at him.

Will you be there? Severus' eyes widened slightly before he gave a miniscule nod, turning around to face Percy again.

"Very well, Mr Potter consents, but I will be in the room with both of them. As the only available guardian-"

"What makes you his guardian?" Percy pushed. Snape didn't even flinch.

"I am the only authority of Mr Potter, as I am his teacher. Therefore making me his temporary guardian should the need arise." Percy didn't say anything, simply turning around and exiting, coming back in with Minister Scimgeour himself after a few moments. He said an awkward hello to the Weasley family as Percy ushered him to the sitting room. Harry followed, Snape trailing behind him with a hard look on his face. They quickly settled, Harry casting glances at the potions master before focusing in on the minister.

Harry took a deep breath, clearing his mind the way he had watched Snape do for almost a year now. He could do this. Just had to bring out his inner Severus Snape.

"Minister, a pleasure, I assume." Snape greeted. "What brings about this visit?"

"Well, Mr Snape-"

"I prefer the term Master, I'm sure you understand." Snape said snidely, saying thousands while only speaking nine words.

"Of course," He said, voice shrouded in a mockery of kindness. It was obvious he would rather call Snape anything but that. "Master Snape, if you'd agree to it-"

"I won't."

"-I'd like to talk to Harry on his own."

"Absolutely not." Snape said, making eye contact with Harry. Severus' eyebrow raised slowly, and Harry suddenly understood.

"It's Apprentice, sir." Scrimgeour's eyes widened, but with a shake of his head he continued.

"Well, Apprentice Harry-"

"Potter. Actually."

"Apprentice Potter!" Scrimgeour took a deep breath. "We need to know that you are with us."

"With who?" Snape asked, suddenly a lot more on guard. Even Harry, oblivious as he was, could smell the suspiciousness from his spot on the couch.

"With the ministry, of course!" Percy said, rolling his eyes. Scrimgeour held up a hand, stopping the redhead in his tracks.

"Apprentice Potter, we'd like you to align yourself with the ministry publicly, if not privately as well."

"For what reason?" Snape asked. The minister ignored him, continuing to stare at Harry, awaiting his answer.

"My guardian asked you a question." Harry said cattily, crossing his arms. The minister threw his hands up, standing up from his seat.

"This- no, Mr Potter, you need to give hope to the public! You're the boy who lived, our saviour!"

"He's a child." Snape seethed, standing up as well. "He is a child and he should not have to be a part of this."

"He's been a part of this since his parents-"

"So because his parents fought, he has to fight as well?" Snape questioned, stepping closer. Although Harry was trying to feign annoyance, his heart was thumping wildly in his chest. A child? He wasn't a- well technically yes but-

Wow, okay, he needed to work through this later.

"I won't be joining you," Harry said. "I'm sorry, but after what the ministry put me through, I won't."

"One bad teacher and you won't help out?" Percy scoffed.

"She tortured me!" Harry said, appalled. "She didn't just give me a P on an assignment, she tortured me!"

"Detentions," Percy drawled, "Are not torture."

"Oh go fuck yourself." Harry spat, standing up to leave. Severus shook his head, stopping Harry in his tracks. "No, I won't listen to this."

"Show them your hand." Snape commanded. "Now, Har- Potter."

With a sigh, Harry stuck out his hand, letting the minister take a long look at it, the man gasping as he made out the words. His finger traced them as Percy walked forward, reading over his bosses shoulder.

"Dolores did this?"

"Not just to me, to others too. She did it to everyone who spoke out. Everyone." His voice caught. "To children, to first years."

The room felt heavy, Snape keeping a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder. The minister let his hand go, Harry quickly shoving it into his pocket. He was uncomfortable, he wanted to get out of here and hide away from the public eye. Scrimgeour cleared his throat, picking up his briefcase.

"Well, it is clear to me that he has done a very good job on you," said Scrimgeour, his eyes cold and hard behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "Dumbledore's man through and through, aren't you, Potter?"

"Indeed."

When the minister and his tag along had finally left, Harry felt himself slump against his teacher. This was far too exhausting, why did he agree to put himself through this?

"You did good," Snape praised quietly. "You kept your head, for the most part."

"Yeah," was all Harry managed to say.

"Are you okay?" Snape asked.

"Yeah,"

Harry didn't know if that was the real answer.

The-Boy-Who-Was-Tortured?!

By Rita Skeeter

Dear readers, you would not believe the information I have just become privy of! I know you reread the title at least twice, but another time may be needed! That's right, our wonderful (ex-lair) saviour was tortured! Where you may ask? Within Hogwarts very walls! By who? Ministry employee Dolores Umbridge! Sadly, the woman was not available for questioning. Here's the accusation from Harry Potter's own mouth!

"Not just to me, to others too. She did it to everyone who spoke out. Everyone. To children, to first years."

There you have it! Even though all of us had accused the teen of lying about You-Know-Who, does anyone truly deserve to be tortured, especially a child?

I certainly don't.

For more information about the acts done to H. Potter and his fellow students, turn to page 4.

For more information about what the ministry will do, turn to page 5.

At the bottom of the page was an image. Severus Snape standing next to Harry Potter, his hand on his shoulder while the wretched minister looked at Potter's hand.

Snape looked almost parental!

Voldemort crumpled the newspaper in his hand, muttering a curse to the death eater that had brought it to him. He had a woman to meet.